The Hewitt School

With a 15% increase in The Hewitt School’s student body, this independent, K-12 school for girls needed to expand its facilities in order to better serve both students and faculty. The school found a fitting opportunity at 42 East 76th Street, an adjacent townhouse that could afford the school about 25% more space as well as maintain its quaint community.

The renovation and expansion created space for ten multi-purpose classrooms including new performing arts and movement spaces, science and fabrication labs, and a roof terrace. A phased construction schedule and approvals from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as well as the City’s Board of Standards and Appeals were necessary.

Kohler Ronan’s designs called for new MEP systems throughout the existing school building and the acquired townhouse. Systems include a variable refrigerant volume (VRV) heat pump system utilizing modular air-cooled heat pumps connected to indoor fan coil units, and a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) providing ventilation air to classrooms and offices in order to minimize carbon dioxide levels. Heating throughout the building is provided by high-efficiency condensing boilers. In addition, high-efficiency LED lighting and low-flow plumbing fixtures were specified and installed across the school.

Photo credit: © Peter Aaron/OTTO